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Zenji Marui
Zenji Marui (丸井 善二 Marui Zenji) is a 92nd Generation student of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy and a resident of the Polar Star Dormitory. Along with the other Polar Star Gang, Zenji befriends and allies with Sōma Yukihira. Often seen as a weakling due to his frail stamina, Zenji's true talent and skill is hidden behind this handicap, even amongst the Polar Star Gang. Appearance Zenji has a short black hair. He also wears round-shaped spectacles. Personality Zenji plays the role of a stereotypical nerd. Zenji is prided with his high intellect and dislikes anyone who mocks his IQ. He recognizes that he has no outstanding cooking talent compared to the likes of Sōma Yukihira nor does he have good physical strength to cook for long periods of time. His lack of stamina is drawn into question by many of his fellow classmates who viewed him as a weak link similarly to Megumi Tadokoro. Due to that handicap, he focuses on educational knowledge to allow him to battle with the natural geniuses and prodigies in his class. His natural intelligence and sharp memory are his assets that truly compensates for his physical shortcomings, allowing him to be selected as a participant in the Autumn Elections. He is well liked in the Polar Star Dormitory as many of the residents like to hold parties or hang out together in his room, much to his dismay that their party has turn. Zenji is often exasperated by his fellow dorm resident's preference to hang out in his room as he wants to focus on studying more than anything else. Plot History Zenji has been in the Polar Star Gang long before Sōma entered the dormitory. Not only was he one of the many prospects within the Polar Star Gang, Zenji is a member of the Classic Recipe Club which is famed for its steep research on philosophy of classic cookery and culinary literature. Despite the fact that he is only in his first year of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy, Zenji is the ace of the club due to his intensive book knowledge. He is handicapped by his low stamina and frail endurance, but his true abilities were known only to Satoshi and Shun prior to the Autumn Election. Soma's entry in Tōtsuki Culinary Academy When Sōma officially entered the hostel, Satoshi gathered the Polar Star Gang into Zenji's room to welcome him to the gang. Though he was annoyed when the gang decided to hold Soma's welcome party in his room as he was preparing for an upcoming test, Zenji joined the festivities and welcomed Sōma into the dorm. Eventually though, like everyone else, Zenji fell asleep during the party, causing him to miss the casual match between Satoshi and Sōma. Next day, Zenji and the other Polar Star Gang members are surprised to find Sōma up early to challenge Satoshi for his Elite Ten Council 7th seat. Satoshi politely explained the condition for a Shokugeki and declined the challenge. Zenji remarked that, despite Sōma's bravery, it would be impossible to beat Satoshi at this point. Training Camp Main Article:Hellish Training Camp Arc Eventually, the 92nd Generation left the school for a week to participate in the Tōtsuki Friendship and Rapport Training. As they arrived at the camp, they were greeted by an all-star line of Tōtsuki Academy Alumni, leaving him inspired in awe of the legendary graduates. After explaining the rules of the camp, Gin Dōjima began the camp. The Polar Star Gang bid each other well as they separated to focus on their tasks during the camp. After surviving the first day of the camp, Zenji is exhausted, hoping to finally get the rest he needs. Unfortunately, despite the fact that their tasks given by their Alumni seminar classes, the students have to cook the meals for the hotel guests. With the exhaustion still got the better of him, Zenji begins to fall behind as Sōma finishes his meal quota quickly than anyone. To worsen the already worsen pressure, Zenji's fatigue begins to get to him as an impatient bodybuilder complains about his slow pace. Regardless, Zenji managed to complete his meal quota and eventually returns to his room where the rest of the Polar Star Gang have gathered to hang out. After the third day of camp, Zenji's exhaustion has taken to the extreme where he is almost give in. After completing 80 dinner quota, Zenji walked around the hotel with a cane. Hoping to get some rest Zenji prepared for bed, but with a sudden announcement by Dōjima, Zenji and the rest of the gang gathered in the main hall. Dōjima announced their task for the following morning: Select and cook 200 dishes to serve to the guests at the hotel. Zenji on his final reserves nearly collapsed, but Yūki encouraged him to do his best so the entire Polar Star Gang would return. Despite overwhelming odds and difficult rigors, Zenji completed the task. After the Breakfast Challenge, the entire 92nd generation gathered in the Main Hall once more. Dōjima gave a particularly inspiring speech for the 92nd Generation to hold as they continued their culinary journeys. Dōjima then announced the final activity of the program, a full course dinner prepared by the Alumni. Knowing that the camp was over and that he had survived it, Zenji collapsed in happiness and enjoyed the meal he deserved for surviving the camp. With the camp is now completed, Zenji returned to Tōtsuki along with the remaining 628 92nd generation students and the Polar Star gang. Chosen for the Tootsuki Autumn Election Main Article:Tootsuki Autumn Election Arc Several days after his struggle, Zenji is mentioned by Satoshi that he is the first 20 students to be qualified into the Tootsuki Autumn Election, along with his other Polar Star Gang Members (Soma, Megumi and Shun). Several days later, he further informed by the librarians as well as one of the lecturer as well as the club's professor, Miyazato Takao, about his confirmed entry, in which he remained silent while reading a book. The Unexpected Visit from The Asura of Cookery, Saiba Jōichirō After the announcement is made, Zenji exited the library and rejoined with the Polar Star Gang has returns to the Polar Star and heading to the Dinning Room for the banquet. In the same time, he meets a stranger who is cooking in the kitchen and shocked after Fumio introduced Mr.Yukihira that he was the legendary Elite Ten Council Member whose creativity and cookery rivaled to none; further also double the shock that she realized that Soma is actually the son of the legend after Soma yell to the legend as his father. After the sudden revelation, Zenji is among the few would witnessed Soma's shaken for the first time and begin to think that he had know nothing about his famed father that studied in this very academy. Nevertheless, Zenji joined the others to dine in Mr.Yukihira's latest delicacy during the banquet. As he tasted the dish as delicious, Zenji would ask some more of Mr.Yukihira Dish, which he accidentally ate the raw unpeeled snake meat and livid about the eccentric taste of the Yukihira Family. Tootsuki Autumn Election: Preliminary Round Battle Royale Main Article:Preliminary Round Tale One month after Jōichirō's visit to Polar Star, Zenji, along with other Polar Star Gang students, retured to the academy as one of the 60 participants to participate in the Gala of All Festivals. During the assembly in the Tootsuki Giants Stadium, When the lights of the stadium went out, Zenji listened to Senzaemon Nakiri's speech about the legends behind the very hall they were standing in. With newfound vigor, Zenji along with the other participants quickly left the hall as Senzaemon began the challenge. He bid farewell to Megumi and Yūki as he as well as Sōma, Shun, and Ryoko headed to the "A" Block. During the cooking session, though many of the participants were noticed by the head judge of the block, Natsume Sendawara, Zenji was not one of them. When the cooking time expired, Zenji joined his fellow Polar Star members as the participants one-by-one presented their dishes. However, the judges awarded most initial dishes with extremely low scores with Natsume herself not giving a single point to anyone until Ryō Kurokiba presented. In an overwhelmingly powerful presentation, Ryō was the first to garner a score over 50, with a score of 93, the highest current score from both blocks. Following Kurokiba was Ikumi Mito and Ryoko Sakaki, both of which earned a score of 86. Finally, Zenji stepped up and presented his dish, a White Potage Curry Udon to the judges. Most of the audience remained skeptic for his selection to be in the elections as his low stamina and poor endurance caused him to be viewed as a weak link. That is until one phenomenal changed their perspective where the judges continued to eat the dishes not only impressed by it's rare white color, but also the mixture of the various spices which is cooked through old fashion style. In an overwhelmingly positive result by the judges, Zenji was awarded 88 points and cheered by his fellow Polar Star Gang and the Classic Culinary Research, much to the speculators speechless shock as they disbelived that wimp like Zenji would put such amazing display Following after his presentation, Zenji witnessed Shun, whose Special Smoked Curry also impressed the judges, earned him an 88 point score, tying with Zenji. Afterwards, both Zenji and Shun later trade their quotes that they're finally showing their prowess to the entire academy. Category:Male Characters Category:Tōtsuki Culinary Academy Students Category:Polar Star Dormitory Students Category:Tōtsuki Autumn Election Participant Category:92nd Generation Students Clubs *Miyazato Seminar - Zenji is the club's ace. Cooking Style Zenji does not have a particular cooking style. Instead, his cooking style comes from extensive research from reading various culinary novels and works as a basis for his cooking. Amongst his class, he is easily the most educationally gifted, allowing him to create truly unique and unorthodox dishes. In a sense, Sōma is the polar opposite of Zenji as they are both free-style cooks, but Sōma's style is founded upon practical trial-and-error research while Zenji focuses on educational research. Dishes *White Potage Curry Udon Trivia *Zenji has two running gags. The first revolves around his poor stamina which often leads to situations where everyone believes he has died after completing a rigorous task. The second revolves around his Polar Star friends preferring to hang out in his room whether when they are in Polar Star Dormitory or in other places such as during the Tōtsuki Friendship and Rapport Training Camp. *Even as a member of the Polar Star Dormitory, Zenji rarely interacts to any of his roommates unless his privacy has been shared with the rest of the gang; particularly Yūki and Sōma who often ruin his "peace" and got him involved with the gang activities. Navigation Category:Male Characters Category:Tōtsuki Culinary Academy Students Category:Polar Star Dormitory Students Category:Tōtsuki Autumn Election Participant Category:92nd Generation Students